Going away
by WarRain
Summary: Would you leave me? I wouldn’t go off like that. Not even if you could get him? I wouldn't leave you, at least not without saying goodbye. Goodbye? Why goodbye? I’d say goodbye because the only way I ever plan of leaving you is death.
1. Chapter 1

**Okay! Second fic that I've made! Try to stay with me, and, when you get to the end, review for yourself and not me. Flame if you want… I need some sort of helpful criticism! Hope you enjoy!**

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"Ahhhh… Sakura-chan! Look at that!" Naruto exclaimed. 

Sakura whirled around, annoyed by Naruto's failure to stay quiet.

"Naruto…" She growled dangerously.

The blonde gulped.

"Let's just find that stupid cat and get this over with." Sakura decided, her anger with Naruto coming to a boil.

"I hate cats!" Naruto said loudly, nodding.

"Baka! Be quiet! If you don't shut up, we'll never find the dumb animal!" Sakura delivered a sharp blow to the back of Naruto's head.

Unaware of Sakura's already agitated mood, Naruto yelped noisily in surprise and fell on his face.

"It's not all my fault!" Naruto tried to get Sakura to cut him some slack. This, however, was not a task done easily, especially if Sakura was agitated.

"So I had a part in making Tsunade-sama glued to her office chair and as angry as hell?" Sakura scoffed.

"Not with your knowing, anyways…" Naruto mumbled.

"What?" Sakura questioned, turning, wide eyed, to Naruto.

"Nothing!" Naruto vociferously said, trying to cover his ass with his boisterousness. Needless to say, this only infuriated Sakura further.

"Naruto, be quiet! I've already told you to shut it a dozen times, already! Don't you know what will happen if we can't complete this stupid little D-rank mission? We'll have to take an impossibly hard evaluation, or worse, just have our ranks stripped from us! Did it occur to you that failing these little things have consequences, for you and I especially? Maybe you didn't realize that, if he's located again, we won't be sent on the mission to retrieve Sasuke if we can't-." Sakura stopped herself, unable to let her tirade continue.

Even though she knew Naruto hadn't wanted her to see it, Sakura glimpsed it.

Yes, she noticed that his normally bright and cheerful eyes narrowed and darkened, clouding over with a torment beyond what she could understand, and his whole body tensed at the very mention of his name.

Then, he banished it to the back of his mind, even if it tugged at his heart like she knew it did.

The blonde pasted on a fake grin and turned towards her. "Okay, Sakura-chan!" He agreed with unneeded volume and enthusiasm. "I'll be quiet!"

Sakura felt her heart clench at these words.

There was no smile in his eyes, only hurt and depression that she brought about, once again.

That stupid fake grin was becoming increasingly more lackluster and worn. It was platitude and she could see right through it.

He used that smile so much now, it had become dilapidated, and that was all thanks to Sasuke.

That bastard.

Thanks to him and his lust for power and vengeance, everything's broken apart.

They would have been better off without him, and yet… They wouldn't be who they are without him.

"We'll get him back, Naruto." Sakura soothed.

Naruto gave her a look of surprise. "But, Sakura-chan, the cat is a 'her,' not a 'him.'"

Sakura blinked. Wow, Naruto sure was inane.

'It can start with a cat.' Sakura decided.

"Yeah… That was a stupid slip up, I meant 'her.' It happens to the best of us." Sakura shrugged.

"Alright. I promise I'll get 'her' back for you!" Naruto winked and gave her the thumbs up.

Sakura looked appreciatively at the boy.

'I guess he got what I meant more than he let on.' Sakura smiled to herself.

"I won't fail, even if it takes my life to get the damned animal back home!" Naruto declared.

'That's an odd take on Sasuke…' Sakura thought.

"No matter how much she whines, scratches, and bites, I'll get her!" Naruto laughed.

"Uh, okay, Naruto. Sounds like a good plan." Sakura complimented encouragingly.

"Wait, I think I see her!" Naruto said excitedly.

'I don't think he's talking about Sasuke anymore.' Sakura considered.

"Hold- very- still. I'll- move- first, you- go- in- for- the- kill!" Naruto said in a tensed up, slow voice.

"What?" Sakura inquired.

"I get it, you don't like animal cruelty! Neither do I Sakura-chan, but you gotta stay strong!"

"Um…" Sakura murmured.

"Alright! You hold her, I'll-!" Naruto didn't get to finish his sentence, because, at that exact moment, the cat darted out from under a bush.

Naruto dove at it. The cat scratched him. He howled in pain. He made to grab it. It slipped between his fingers. He lunged and caught it by its tail. The animal hissed and spat. It scratched harder, but Naruto held fast to the out of control cat.

"Hurry, Sakura!" Naruto shouted over the cat's screams.

"Uh!" Sakura replied, uncertain of what to do.

She walked. Then tripped on her feet. Naruto stared. The cat spat and screamed. Sakura landed on Naruto. Naruto turned bright red. The cat wriggled in his grasp. Sakura blushed. The cat mashed between them, still crying, hissing, spitting, and screaming.

'Damn cat,' thought Naruto, 'if not for it, this would be perfect.'

'**If not for it, neither of you would be in this position.'** The Kyuubi said tetchily.

'What's biting your ass?' Naruto asked.

'**It's not biting my ass, it's biting my face, jackass.'** The Kyuubi riposted.

'It's my face, wise-ass.'

'**I share a body with you, dim-wit, so, basically, it's my face too.'**

'Go away.' Naruto commanded.

'**I would if you let me out of here.'** The Kyuubi suggested in a half-assed attempt to get out of the kid's body. (End of ass profanities)

'Okay.' Naruto shrugged.

'**What?! Really?'** The demon asked suspiciously.

'Nope!' Naruto laughed.

'**Brat.'** Growled the fox.

Suddenly, something pricks him hard in the butt. Something sharp.

"Owww! Dumb cat!" Naruto yowled.

"Now that we have her, I think we should get her back to her owner."

"'Ya sure you don't want to put a muzzle on it and put the demon in a metal cage before we go?" Naruto asked, glaring at the now purring cat.

"Here's your cat." Sakura offered the large woman the cat.

"There's my precious little girl! Aren't you an angel?" The woman squealed.

Naruto cringed. "No." He coughed.

"Oh, dear… you are so unlucky to have a cold in the summer!" The woman clicked her tongue.

Naruto stared at her in disbelief while Sakura barely contained her laughter.

"Have- a nice- day!" Sakura choked, her eyes tearing up.

"You two should really go to the doctor." The woman advised. To Sakura, she said. " I think you may have a sore throat or something."

"Don't worry, ma'am, I'm a medical ninja, I'll be just fine."

"Thank goodness! I just hate to see the country's youth in pain!" With that, the woman left with her squirming cat.

"If you hate to see the country's youth in pain, why do you own that thing?!" Naruto asked aloud, never to receive his answer.

Sakura giggled. "Funny, Naruto. Now, let's go to Tsunade's office."

"Hag, it was so well executed, you would be proud of us!" Naruto exclaimed, bursting into the Hokage's office.

"Eh?" Tsunade's eyebrows shot up.

"That cat, man was it uuuuhhhhhgggglllly(ugly)! It took a while to actually put it at ease." Naruto bragged.

"I don't get it. It sounds like you put it to sleep, not returned it."

"We should've put that thing to sleep." Naruto said darkly. "That monster is a hazard to every man, woman, and child in this village."

Tsunade looks questioningly at Sakura, who was currently wearing a 'don't ask' expression.

The pink haired medical Nin sighed. "It hates our guts. It is a nasty animal." She agreed.

"Try telling that to that brute's owner. She thinks it's an angel." Naruto muttered.

"It looks harmless." Tsunade stated. Sakura shook her head.

"That's why it's pure evil, I'm telling you!" Naruto exaggerated.

"And I keep listening and listening." Tsunade rolled her eyes and took a swig of sake.

Naruto looked at her, annoyed. "Listen, hag, we did what you asked us to do and now I want action on your part! Clean out your ears old lady! I want action! Can't you find w-Aaaaaaahhhhh!" Naruto yelled.

A thump was heard as Naruto smacked into the opposite wall.

Sakura grimaced as the plaster on the wall cracked and broke.

"Don't- call- me- old!" Tsunade snarled. "Show some respect, brat."

"Calling you old is the only way you pay attention!" Naruto retorted.

Tsunade's anger released a little bit.

"Besides, you are old and you are a hag!" Naruto added loudly.

Tsunade stalked up to him in a growl.

Naruto shrank back a little, but otherwise held his ground. "I keep telling you to listen, but do you? Noooooo!"

Sakura winced when she heard the plaster crack again.

"Granny, I said listen, not try to beat me into a pile of flesh! Need a hearing aid?!"

"Shut up, Naruto!" Sakura ordered.

Naruto shook his head defiantly. "Can't you look for Sasuke harder?"

'So that's what this is about?' Sakura wondered. 'Sasuke? It seems to be a common argument…'

"We already are looking for him hard enough!" Tsunade roared back. "I keep telling you!"

"If you were, then we would've already found him! You're the Hokage! Make your ANBU look more than hard enough!"

The wall cracked again.

"We'll find him, but you might not be on the mission to retrieve him if you keep acting this way!" Tsunade finalized it, pushing against Naruto's shoulders in an attempt to calm him, but Naruto wasn't giving up without at least a lame fight.

He opened his mouth hotly, but, finding nothing to say, turned his head away from Tsunade angrily.

An instant later, Shizune skid into the room, huffing. She moaned in despair at the state that the walls were in.

"Not again!" She cried. Then, Tsunade and Naruto caught her attention.

"Oh! Sorry to interrupt, Tsunade-sama!" And Shizune strode out of the room.

Sakura watched in incredulity. This also seemed to be quite a common occurrence between Tsunade and Naruto.

"You can go, now, Sakura." Tsunade shrugged towards the door. "The mission is over and you've basically reported all the specifics."

Sakura nodded mutely, surprised at how Naruto had conducted himself in front of Tsunade.

Naruto removed Tsunade's hand from his shoulder moodily.

Tsunade retaliated with a light, harmless shove.

Naruto glared, but, unable to hold the glare, he turned away, running after Sakura.

"That wasn't so bad, ne, Sakura-cha- ow!" Naruto exclaims.

"You are an idiot, Naruto!" Sakura admonished, speaking sharply.

"But, what did I do?" Naruto asked.

"I can't believe you talk to Tsunade like that, and you didn't feel the need to say anything of it to me! Didn't you think that you could tell me, since we are in the same-!"

"This is about Sasuke?" Naruto asked gloomily.

Sakura shook her head. "No, it isn't about Sasuke."

"Then who the hell else could it be abou-?!"

"It's about you."

"What about me?" Naruto said quizzically.

"You've changed…" Sakura started.

"I've changed? What do you expect out of me when-?"

Sakura interrupted him and pushed on willfully. "I wonder how much? Would you leave me to get what you need done, to reach your objective, to achieve your ambitions?"

"What? Sakura, do you really think that I-?"

"Would you leave me here alone, without me knowing, again?" Sakura repeated firmly.

Naruto stayed silent for a few moments before answering. "I wouldn't go off like that."

"Not even if you could get him?" Sakura asked.

He hesitated momentarily again, then said, "I wouldn't leave you, at least, not without saying goodbye."

"Goodbye? Why 'goodbye?'" Sakura asked.

"I'd say goodbye because the only way I ever plan of leaving you is my death."

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**Good? Bad? Please review! I know it was long, but I can't help myself. If I start writing something, I can't stop and I have the incessant need to make my writing longer. Review, PLEASE!**

**-WarRain**


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry the update took so long! I don't own Naruto!**

**StartChapter **

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Sakura liked storms. Since she got her own house, she could curl up on the couch with a mug of hot chocolate and watch the storm blow itself out against the October leaves.

But, that's what she did if it didn't last forever, which was happening on this cold, wet, soggy day.

Today, much like the many other days before, having training canceled and nothing to do, Sakura was naturally bored. When Sakura was bored, she did laundry.

Sakura was just going into her room to put the last two garments of clothing away when a bolt of lightning flashed across the sky.

The lights in the house flickered, then died.

The sky was so clouded, it made it look like it was past midnight, when, in reality, it was only eight at night.

Sakura lit an old oil lamp and set it down on a table.

She looked out the window, and, in surprise, noticed someone was out there. Sakura, with a moment's longer glance, dismissed it as a stray child heading home before the storm broke again.

Sakura leaned back in utter boredom. She thought of contacting Naruto with her little portable radio.

Since he was really the only one who would respond, much less the only one who kept a radio on besides herself, her choices were limited to only one contact, which was obviously Naruto.

Sakura reached over to her table and picked up her mini-radio.

"Naruto!" she hissed into it.

To her surprise, the only reply that she received was static.

"Naruto, it's Sakura!" More static.

Sakura frowned and put the little radio down.

Naruto always had his radio, even when he was outside the village. He took it everywhere. What could have caused him to part with it?

At any rate, thinking of Naruto just made her worried. He left on October 10th, which was all right with her. Naruto didn't want to deal with the celebration of the Kyuubi's defeat. He was supposed to be back five days later, but now it had been nearly fifteen days.

So, Sakura sat, worried, for nearly an hour in relative silence interrupted only by occasional bursts in crackling of static on the radio and thunder.

At eight, the storm let up some. Sakura was just about to get off the couch when she heard a knock.

She didn't react for how surprised she was that someone should be out in this weather with the sky so dark.

The knock came thrice more, the last more distressed, as if the visitor had given up hope that she was there.

A second later, Sakura got up and rushed towards the door, stumbling over multiple objects on the floor.

She fumbled with the lock, turned it the wrong way, successfully unlocked the door, and threw the wretched thing open.

No one was there.

Then she spotted an orange clad boy running, no, slipping across her lawn to get to the street.

She recognized him instantly. "Naruto!" She yelled.

The kid turned, and then fell on his face.

He slid a bit, landing him a tad bit closer to her home.

He was mussy, soaked to the skin, and looked utterly exhausted.

"Are you okay?" Sakura asked.

Naruto sat up in the mud and flashed her a grin. "Aren't I always?"

Sakura helped him up and together they walked into Sakura's house.

Once the door was shut and both were sitting down, Sakura let him have it.

"Are you insane?" she exclaimed.

"I suppose…?" Naruto replied, question clear in his voice.

To clarify her reasons for scolding, Sakura said, "You were gone for fifteen days! Ten days more than you told me you would be gone!"

"I was training." Answered Naruto simply.

Sakura eyed him suspiciously. "In this weather? No way. It's been like this since you left."

Naruto shrugged stiffly. "Gotta know how to fight in all kinds of weather, Sakura-chan."

Sakura immediately noticed how stiffly he moved his shoulders. Everything about him, now that she allowed herself to look, appeared to be stiffened or tensed. Every movement seemed to result in pain.

Even his smile looked strained, and his eyes were clouded over, as if everything was a bit fuzzy for him.

No in the light, she also couldn't help but notice how torn up he looked.

His clothing was nearly in shreds and there were dark red and brown splotches all over what was left of the somewhat damp orange jump suit.

He was cut, scraped, and bruised. Exhaustion was apparent in his every move.

'This can't really have been done while just training, can it?' Sakura wondered.

"You can't have been just training, Naruto. I would have seen you." Sakura persisted.

Naruto looked at his feet. "I was training at first." He muttered.

Sakura blinked. "What about the rest of the time after 'at first'?" She questioned.

At first, he hesitated, but then he plunged on. "I was outside of Konoha because of the celebration, but then I got pretty far outside the gates. I couldn't just waltz into Konoha's hospitals without anybody wondering why I needed to go there."

"Why?" asked Sakura.

"Well… because they would wonder why I was there." Repeated Naruto. "I'd have to say where I was and on what business."

"That's why," he added wearily, "… that's why I came here. I knew you could help me. Only, you weren't home, at least, not when I knocked."

Naruto sneezed.

Sakura looked at him worriedly as he yielded to a fit of coughs. "Damn, I'm sick."

"Naruto, where were you? What were you doing?" Sakura tried to get information from him.

"I can't tell you, Sakura. You might get angry and smack me. Well, you probably wouldn't-."

"I won't." Sakura interrupted.

"You wouldn't, but I can't tell you. I don't want to worry you, Sakura-chan." Naruto refused.

"Tell me how far you were out of Konoha." Sakura pleaded.

"Pretty far. Well, no. Actually, at most points, I was very far out of Konoha, but I'm not going to tell you the rest." Naruto sneezed.

"Damn it, Kyuubi! Can't you take care of a freakin' cold?!" Naruto yelled, coughing.

"I'll take care of it." Sakura offered, a little hurt that Naruto wouldn't tell her anything.

"Really? Thanks, Sakura! Sorry that I can't say anything… I just don't want to drag you into this mess. Not now, at least. This really is a bad time to drag you into anything, I'll tell you later. Ina few months."

Sakura sighed, but put on a smile to reassure her long time friend. "Okay, sounds good. Now shut up. I need to check out the damage."

Though she was blushing slightly, she pushed it away and examined Naruto.

She gasped out loud when she saw that his navy T-shirt underneath the jump suit was stained mostly red with blood and torn in several places.

Naruto grinned awkwardly, trying to hide his sheepishness. He failed badly.

"A sword, maybe an unusual katana did this work." Sakura reported.

"Sounds right." Naruto shrugged.

"Stop doing that!" Scolded Sakura. "You just keep opening wounds by shrugging."

She found a stab wound in his stomach and a major wound on his right shoulder.

It was incredibly deep and reached the bone.

Blood was still flowing out of it.

"Only two major wounds inflicted up here," Sakura informed, "I need to see your lower body."

Just by taking a glance at his legs, Sakura was appalled.

It looked like he had received punctures from senbon in numerous places.

There was one major wound on his left leg, old blood caking it and dripping with new.

His feet were in shreds, dead skin dangling, scabs worn off to leave scars, and blood trickling down.

There was a bad sprang of his right ankle and one shin's skin was split.

Old blood was dried on his face and there was a stream of blood starting at his hairline, dripping onto his face.

"You could have taken better care of yourself." Sakura observed.

"Thanks, I don't get that from everybody." Naruto replied, a little sarcastically.

"Not everybody is me."

"Got that right." Naruto grinned, making Sakura blush.

"Take these, they'll knock you out while I heal you. It won't be a comfortable process." Sakura gave Naruto some pills.

"Thanks." Naruto said, then swallowed them.

In a matter of moments, Naruto was becoming drowsy.

"Fast working, those things." He decided before dropping off into sleep.

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**Not very long, is it? Sorry, I was sort of in a huge hurry! Okay, please review people! I appreciate it!**

**-WarRain.**


	3. Chapter 3

**What has it been since I've updated? Two weeks, about… or, at least, I think so. Here is an even softer and gentler chapter. Not much action, just… please read it if you don't, or even if you do, get it. The reason for it being gentler is because, as I wrote it, the song 'Chasing Cars' by Snow Patrol came on. It pushed me on. I couldn't stop. So, I present to you, something a little more quiet and heartfelt.**

**Here's the update! I do not own Naruto!**

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Naruto slowly blinked awake.

His sight was a little blurry from sleep and he was dimly aware of the roll of thunder outside.

The rain pounded soothingly against the house, and the wind whistled through any small crack that it could find.

It was dark out, but getting lighter, and the storm was clearly coming to an end.

He sat up a little stiffly, yawning and rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

Though he was still a bit sore, his wounds were healed, even the littler ones.

'Sakura-chan.' Naruto thought as he was reminded of the pink haired medic nin.

He didn't have to look far to locate her; she was fast asleep on the floor next to where he was previously sleeping on her couch.

She was covered in brown splotches from his blood, a line of it wiped above her brow as if she had swept a strand of hair behind her ear with partially blood tipped fingers.

She looked utterly exhausted as she lay there inhaling and exhaling softly, but she was beautiful to Naruto.

The blonde crouched down beside her and just watched her for a second. Her gentle breathing was calming, so quiet and serene. It put him at ease even more.

He brushed the stray strands of hair out of her face and smiled at her sleeping figure warmly.

Her face was turned up toward the ceiling, illuminated by the sky of the breaking dawn.

They really had been through so much together in just the last year or so.

Not a second was a waste when Sakura was in that moment in time, not to him.

Now since Sasuke had left, Sakura, Kakashi, and a few others were his life.

The only person that had truly stayed with him in everything was Haruno, Sakura.

And here she still was, staying with him.

Sakura shifted slightly in her sleep and Naruto leaned in closer.

Her hand was outstretched, the palm outwards, like she wanted him to hold her hand.

Naruto took hers in his own, feeling how much smaller it was compared to his own, now.

Her hands were soft in his rough ones, so graceful in his clumsy hands.

"Sakura…" He whispered gently.

She moaned a little, but otherwise made no response.

Naruto smiled with amusement and lifted her up in his arms tenderly, and then laid her down on her own couch.

She was tired and desperately needed sleep, who was Naruto to deprive her of a comfortable rest? Well, it wasn't like he would, at any rate.

He searched for a blanket, then, finally finding one, covered her up with it.

Sakura snuggled into it, contented and comfy.

Naruto sat himself down on a chair across from her and just watched the sun slowly come up and Sakura's breathing rise and fall in her chest.

'If I had the right words to describe what you are to me… I don't. I have only one simple one, Sakura-chan. Everything.'

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Sakura sat up, shielding her eyes from the bright sun.

It had to be noon, at the very least.

With some curiosity, she noticed she was on her couch with a blanket that was now slipping to the floor.

Her questions were answered when she saw Naruto sleeping in a chair across from her.

She smiled with bliss, looking at him sleeping so peacefully.

They were growing up so quickly, Naruto and she, especially within the last three years.

Since Sasuke had disappeared again after Itachi's ruin, there had been little mention of him for the last three years.

Now eighteen, they were older; grown up.

Still, Naruto was practically the same Naruto.

Both she and he were ANBU, as well as the rest of the Rookie Nine.

Konoha didn't know what hit them with 8 ninja becoming ANBU at pretty much the same time, all of them excellent shinobi.

She was never really alone, because Naruto was always there. In fact, a lot of the time, he refused to let her be alone. He had always been stubborn, and it was a habit that would die hard, if it would die at all.

As she reminisced, Naruto began to stir.

"Huh? Ohayo, Sakura-chan!" came his almighty morning greeting.

Sakura laughed. "Ohayo, Naruto. How are you feeling?"

"Great, thanks to you. How're you?" Naruto responded.

"Good, good. A bit tired, but I suppose that can be fixed with sleep." Nodded Sakura.

"That's good, you looked a little down last night." Naruto replied, worried.

"I was asleep, but, yeah. I was pretty exhausted. Do you want breakfast or… Brunch? We can go to Ichiraku's." Sakura suggested kindly.

"That sounds nice! But, I think we should go somewhere else. Somewhere you would enjoy more than Ichiraku's." decided Naruto politely.

Surprised by his turn down of Ichiraku just for her sake, Sakura answered, "It's really okay, Naruto. I like ramen at Ichiraku's just fine."

Naruto shook his head, grinning. "There isn't anywhere you would rather go?"

"Well, I have been wanting to try that new sushi place, because, as you know, I like sushi. Are you sure-?" Sakura started.

"Yeah, absolutely. Besides, I've never tried sushi, and we haven't gone anywhere that you've wanted to go for a looooong time. I'll even treat you." Said Naruto in a gentlemanly fashion.

Sakura mouthed wordlessly for a moment before saying, "Are you okay? No permanent damage to your head?"

Naruto laughed. "Right, Sakura-chan. I'm sure any damage that could have been done has happened already. Come on, it'll be like a… like a…" Naruto searched for the right word, as if it was on the tip of his toung when he really knew what it was.

"Like a date? You're asking me out on a morning date?" Sakura asked, smiling warmly.

"Uh, yeah, I suppose so. If you don't want to, that's-!" Sakura cut Naruto off.

"I'll go, sounds fun." She grinned at his expression.

Halfway in shock and halfway in elation, Naruto couldn't quite get his words out. "I- well, uh. You are… um…" Instead of completing his miserably formed sentence, he blushed and said one word. "Cool."

"Just let me get something less bloody on, and you… I think I have something from a few months ago." Sakura told him.

"Okay." Naruto grinned.

He couldn't stop grinning.

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"I like sushi." Naruto said with such a shocked revelation that it made Sakura laugh.

"I do too, it was really great. We should come here…" She decided.

"More often." Naruto agreed.

After paying the bill, Naruto took Sakura back to her house as the skies were becoming dark with oncoming dusk.

"See you tomorrow, Sakura-chan." Naruto waved.

"I'll probably see you first," Sakura pointed out, giggling, "you aren't the best at observations."

"Hey! I could probably spot you a mile away!" Argued Naruto.

"That may be so, but I can do the same to you without even trying, your orange jumpsuit makes it easy." Sakura teased.

"I don't have an orange jump suit anymore, remember? You said it was too bloody and you threw it away!" Naruto countered.

"That's true… Now you don't really have anything to wear." Sakura realized.

"Right about that. Just the clothes on my back." Naruto nodded.

"I'll definitely see you tomorrow, Naruto. Goodnight." Sakura smiled.

"Sleep tight." Naruto replied, reminding her to get some sleep.

"I will." Sakura said.

"Sweet dreams." Naruto waved before leaving.

Sakura closed the door, thinking back on the night.

The thought of what Naruto had said to her prior suddenly struck her.

"_I'd say goodbye because the only way I ever plan of leaving you is my death."_

To Naruto, she didn't want to hear 'goodbye,' ever. It would be like saying 'I'm going to die and you can't prevent it.'

No, she wouldn't accept him telling her 'goodbye,' she just wouldn't.

'Why am I even considering this? Naruto can't die. He's too stubborn to do that. Besides, I should probably be thinking about what I'll get him for his belated birthday present…' She thought with a small smile.

Still, she couldn't stop thinking, _"I'd say goodbye because the only way I ever plan of leaving you is my death."_

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**Short chappie again, sorry! Had to write it in a day or else… At any rate, I need ideas for what Sakura should get Naruto for his belated birthday present!**

**Please review, now that you've read. I need some more inspiration from you reviewers and readers! Good morning, good afternoon, and good evening!**

**-WarRain.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Many, many ideas that I liked! I can't pick all of them, unfortunately. So, I turned to another two reviews. Flashing Silver's and then full-metal-sousuke's. Thank you guys for the support! You rock! Enjoy the chappie!**

**I do not own Naruto!**

**On to the fic.**

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She rushed through the streets, looking rapidly from side to side.

Sakura knew she was being paranoid, but she had to make sure Naruto was nowhere near her location. It would ruin EVERYTHING.

Now sure that someone was watching her, she turned around. Naruto. What a wonderfully coincidence!

"Uh, uh, uh! Heeeey! Naruto!" Sakura stuttered.

"Ohayo, Sakura-chan! Hey, what's that!" Naruto pointed at two large bulging bags.

"They are, um… you don't want to know that, Naruto." Sakura said stiffly, in an almost seductive voice. Apparently, her voice made major changes when she lied.

"Are you okay? You sound kind of weird." Naruto said, concerned.

"I'm-." Sakura began, but Naruto interrupted her.

"Oh! I get it!" He exclaimed. "You have… girl troubles, right? Going through that, err… time of the day?" He added, quietly.

'It's time of the month, but whatever floats his boat.' Sakura decided.

She nodded vigorously. "Yeah," she uttered, raspy, "that's it. Girl troubles. I have here… uh…" She searched for a word.

"Girl trouble supplies." Naruto finished solemnly. On a happier note, he added, "If you ever need me for that kind of thing… I'll help you! I don't know how… I think old man Hokage mentioned something about it waaaaaay back, but… I can't really remember."

"Uuuh, that's fine, Naruto! I'll go take this girl troubles supplies to my house and I'll… get help. Err, see you tonight!"

"Wait, why tonight?" Naruto asked.

"I… want to give you a gift." Sakura said over her shoulder, speeding up.

She ran into her house to be meet with Ino's surprised face.

"Oh, it's just you. I thought it might have been Naruto!" Ino sighed, relieved.

"Yeah. Good thing." Sakura laughed nervously. "Listen, we need someone to lure Naruto over here."

"Oh, we already have that worked out." Grinned Ino.

"You do? Really?" Questioned Sakura, impressed.

"Yup. You are going to go out with him to an early dinner, end up coming here somewhere between seven and eight-thirty." Ino instructed.

"Wha-what? Why me?" Sakura asked, a blush appearing on her face.

"Because, Sakura, none of us connect with Naruto like you do AND there's a chance that he might not follow anyone else back here." Ino answered.

"Alright, I'll do it." Sakura agreed.

"Didn't take much convincing for you." Ino noticed with a chuckle.

Sakura blushed a little deeper. "Shut up, Ino-pig!"

"Hmmm, getting nervous, are you? You and I both know you only call me that when I'm getting close to one of your secrets or I know you have a crush. Now which is it? Or maybe," Ino said with a gleam in her blue eyes, "maybe it's both."

"Ino!" Sakura whinned. "Stop it, I'll go get Naruto, okay?!"

"So, pretending to make a deal when there is none to make, are you? You actually want to go pick Naruto up, don't you?" Ino crossed her arms, giving Sakura a knowing look.

Sakura failed to keep her smiling face straight and also was unsuccessful at keeping her face unblushing. "Well…! You and Shikamaru!" She exclaimed.

Everyone working on Sakura's house fell silent for just a moment, and then continued their work.

Ino laughed in an unconcerned way. "Shikamaru and I? So what! It's been like that. But, what about you and Naruto? Hmmm? Yeah! I can see sparks fly."

Sakura looked at the floor, tomato red, unable to look at Ino.

"Aw, our little Sakura is blushing! Don't worry, your SECRET is safe with me." Ino soothed, saying secret extra loudly, gaining some curiosity from others.

"I'm not so sure." Sakura muttered.

"Don't worry, I won't spread it around. Not until you are ready. Now, go get ready! You have a date in a few hours!" Ino ordered.

Sakura gave a mock curtsy, "Yes ma'am!" and started up the stairs.

"Oh, you're silly and funny!" Ino exclaimed wildly, only in an attempt to get Sakura's attention.

Sakura turned around with a giggle and stuck her tongue out at Ino.

Ino copied the motion and let Sakura continue her ascent up the stairs.

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"Ino! I'm bored." Sakura whimpered.

"It's just two more hours." Hissed Ino.

"Aren't you done yet?!" Sakura snarled, becoming very unlady-like in her boredom.

"Yeah, we are. Just, for some reason, we want you to be her between 7 and 8:30." Ino insisted.

"Why?" Sakura asked.

"No reason at all! We all just thought it would be fun to make you miserable!" Ino laughed.

"Yeah, thanks. You're a great friend, Ino." Sakura mumbled.

"I know, aren't I?" Ino answered.

"Right now, no." Said Sakura miserably.

"Well, you might change your mind sometime so-." Ino was cut off by the ring of the doorbell.

"Who is that?" Ino mouthed.

Sakura shook her head and walked towards the door and opened it slightly. Naruto was at the door.

"Hey, Sakura-chan!" Naruto greeted.

"Hi, Naruto! Uh…" She looked inside nervously when a loud thud sounded from inside her house and Ino was clearly telling everyone to shut up.

"What was that?" Naruto asked.

"It was… it was a… rat! Yeah, a rat." Sakura lied terribly.

"I'll get rid of it for you, then, if you want." Naruto offered.

"No!" Sakura yelled, surprising Naruto with her strong refusal. "I mean, no, that's okay. He's… my pet rat. Yeah."

"What's his name?" Asked Naruto excitedly.

"Err… his name?" Naruto nodded exuberantly. "His name is… is Tony. Tony the rat." Sakura mentally kicked herself.

"Tony… the rat. I like that." Naruto nodded, getting a feel for the name of the imaginary rat.

"So, uh… do you want to go on a…date, again?" Naruto inquired.

"Uh, sure! Yeah, let me just lock the door." Sakura answered, closing the door and taking a key.

"Alright! Let's go to that sushi place!" Naruto decided.

"Only if you come to my house later so I can give you your gift!" Sakura bargained.

"Okay, sounds fine to me." Naruto agreed.

"Thought it would." Sakura smiled.

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"I'm stuffed! Okay, Sakura-chan! Let's get to your house soon, it looks kind of like it'll rain."

"Okay, we'll be quick about getting there, then. I just hope we aren't as late as I think we are…"

"For what?" Naruto asked cluelessly.

"Nothing! I just… need to go to the bathroom!" Sakura shammed.

"You can't really be late for going to the bathroom, can you? Wait… unless you already went… Uh? So you have to go pretty badly, huh?" Naruto wondered.

"Not really, it's just… my…"

"Girl troubles?" Naruto finished understandingly.

"Exactly. My girl troubles." She blushed.

"You look a little feverous, too, Sakura. You might be running one." He put a hand to her forehead and felt it. "You are a little warm, are you okay?"

Sakura nodded, blushing even deeper.

"Oh, yeah, I get it! Tsunade-baa-chan told me sometimes girls get headaches on their 'time.' I don't get why every Hokage is so dead bent on preparing me for that kind of thing, though." Naruto shrugged.

"That's right. When we go in, I call first dibs on the bathroom!" Sakura deceived.

"Then, let's not make you wait! Let's go in." Naruto smiled.

She turned the key in the lock and she and Naruto walked into a dark house.

"Wasn't this place lit when you left? Naruto asked, puzzled.

"Surprise!" A loud shout came.

The lights flickered on and kunai shot out of the ceiling.

Naruto turned to face Sakura and covered her from the kunai knives.

The kunai bounced off of his back and to the floor.

No blood at all was spilled. That was impossible. It had to be Ino's doing.

"Happy belated birthday!" Ino shouted enthusiastically.

"Sounds kind of like something Kakashi-sensei would say." Naruto muttered, a grin on his face.

"He's here, too." Sakura pointed out. "It was kind of his idea… and, well considering that you were gone for your birthday, like you always are and were a little bit later than that, that was the only thing we could do!"

Naruto was just elated with this.

"Oi! Tsunade-baa-chan! Hey, ramen!" Naruto shouted.

"I thought you were stuffed!" Sakura yelled.

"I can change my mind! I always have room, just in case!" Naruto replied.

"I don't see how, with everything you stuff down your throat." Murmured Sakura.

"I thought you would be back at lastest 8:30… Tsk, tsk, Sakura-chan! I think Kakashi-sensei is rubbing off on you! Or maybe, it's not Kakashi-sensei that's rubbing off, eh?" Ino shot Sakura another knowing glance.

"I didn't have a watch!" Sakura explained.

"Did you care to ask Naruto if he had one? Perhaps you were too busy doing… something else."

"Ahh! Ino-pig! Shut up, I don't want anybody else to know, yet! Besides, Naruto isn't like that! He's too sweet to do something like that to-!"

"Aw, Sakura thinks Naruto is too sweet and innocent! Hey, you didn't say anything about yourself… Did you-?" Ino asked sneakily.

"No!" Sakura exclaimed.

"Oh, wait. Let me get this right. What was it you said? Yet? So you plan on telling the world that you've fallen for Uzumaki, Naruto?! Oh, if you do that, I can definitely wait to spread the news!"

Sakura sighed. "Whatever. Why did you use rubber kunai? That wasn't part of the original plan."

"I wanted to see if Naruto liked you. He covered you, you know." Ino recalled.

"Because he wasn't aware that they were fake knives!" Fumed Sakura.

"Exactly! Anything could've happened. Now it's obvious that he likes you." Ino said proudly.

Sakura shook her head and put a hand over her eyes. "Your mind has a twisted way of working, Ino."

"Yeah, I know. What can be done about it except using it for my own strange purposes?" Ino answered.

An hour later, it was gift-giving time.

After receiving many packets of instant ramen from Chouji, a new set of throwing kunai from Ino, two fuuma shuriken from Tenten, a large selection of differently sized senbon from Shikamaru, a large bouquet of lotuses and a green spandex from Lee, an attractive little orange book from Kakashi, serving his purpose of corruption since Jiraiya couldn't come, a pair of new ninja gloves from Shino, new blue sandals from Hinata, a set of speed training clothes from Tsunade, three weapons holsters, adjustable to any weapon, for the shoulder, hip, and thigh, made a very unobvious color to be easily hidden, which was from Kiba, and a new mini radio with adjustable volume, muting, and smooth communications from Neji, it was time to receive Sakura's gift.

Naruto, with great eagerness, picked up Sakura's gift and shook it.

"What is it?" He wondered aloud.

He began to tear off the wrapping paper and threw the lid of the box off.

"Sa-Sakura-chan…" He said in awe.

Sakura smiled. She got a good gift.

**1234567890**

**Oh! Sorry guys, a bit of a cliffy for what Sakura got as a gift for Naruto! Yeah, I'll be telling you that next chapter, no worries. Though, next chap may be a wait, since my sister is likely to get me grounded off of the computer! Did you like this one? It's longer than the others, I think! Review, please!**

**Good morning, good afternoon, and good evening!**

**-WarRain.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry that it took a while and sorry if it's a bit long, but I had to get in at least one more big chapter! I do not own Naruto!**

**On to the fic.**

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"Sa-Sakura-chan…" Naruto said in awe.

Sakura smiled. "Like them?" She asked.

Naruto nodded slowly.

In the box was a set of clothing. But it was no ordinary set of clothing. It was the best of the best ninja clothing.

The shorts were blue jean-like, and came down just over the knee, perfect for hiding a kunai holster. It was flexible material. The back had an area set aside for a weapons pack, and a small pouch for something or other was built in. **(Something or other is basically a 'for anything' phrase, in my speaking.)**

There was a navy blue t-shirt and a jacket. While the navy blue t-shirt was plain, the jacket was not.

It was form fitting and supple. It appeared to be almost like a pilot's jacket, but, to put it as maturely as can be written, it looked sneakier.

It was brown in color, and had a red spiral on the back. It had several scroll pouches, had a pouch in the shoulder, and even a slot for a ninja file **(a cutting file…).**

"Now I won't be able to see you with out trying. So, in the morning, we'll have equal chance." Sakura grinned.

Naruto's mouth crept into a broad grin. "Thanks Sakura-chan!" He shouted, pulling her into a hug.

She sank into it, warmth washing over her. "Well, maybe not equal. You are so loud!" She teased.

"Actually, Sakura," Naruto whispered, "I think it's tipped in my favor."

"What? How's that?" Sakura whispered back.

"Because, there's no way that I could miss your face, especially since you're the only one who is this beautiful." He answered.

"Na-Naruto…" Sakura murmured.

"What? Used the wrong line?" Naruto grinned charmingly.

"Eh?! Shut up, you bastard!" She joked and hit him in the back.

He laughed and gave her a nuggie, completely messing up her hair.

Ino sweat-dropped. 'Not my idea of romantic… Maybe it's a Naruto thing. No matter how despairingly not-romantic his actions are, Sakura just can't help but fall for him.'

"There's one thing I've been wondering all night." Naruto admitted.

Ino perked up. 'There may be hope for you yet, Naruto.'

"What is it?" Sakura asked.

"You know Tony? I haven't seen him yet. Your pet rat isn't much for show, is he?"

'A rat?' Ino mentally kicked Naruto. 'He was wondering where a rat named Tony is… and it's Sakura's pet? Huh? A rat… here… Oh, god.'

"Uh, oh yeah… Tony… He must've gotten scared with all the noise." Sakura said, the rat lie still in play.

"Oh yeah. Sakura-chan… I've been thinking, you know?"

"Thinking? This is an improvement." Sakura grinned.

"Yeah, haha! Me and with the thinking! But, I was wondering… If you… well, see, you and I have been out and about…" Naruto trailed off.

"I don't see exactly where you're going with this." Sakura said.

"Oh, I'm going north with this." Naruto informed.

'North? Either he's being a total idiot or some sort of out of the book romantic.' Ino decided.

"What do you mean you're going 'north'?" Sakura asked.

"I mean… I'm heading up with this… I'm finally getting to the point, even if it is over my head when I'm standing by myself… Would you stand with me?"

'Holy shi- Say yes, Sakura! Say yes!' Ino mentally screamed.

"Uh… okay. Wait… what?" Sakura inquired.

Ino sighed loudly. 'Damn you and your lack of understanding, Sakura! Unless… Maybe I understand this incorrectly. Hmmm…'

"Alright… Since it's already practically happening, would you be my girlfriend?" Naruto asked, trying to get the point across as clearly as possible.

'Yessssss!' Thought Ino. 'Finally.'

Sakura nodded. "Yeah. I mean, why waste time, right? It was going to happen sometime wasn't it? And-…" Sakura went on.

'Ahhh! She has to learn to shut up at these kind of moments!' Ino shook her head.

"Hey, Sakura!" Naruto uttered, getting her attention.

"What?" She asked, finally shutting up.

"Be quiet." He laughed.

"Don't be a wise-a-!" But before Sakura could finish, Naruto kissed her.

Ino, more like Inner Ino, turned all sorts of reds. 'Holy shit! Breathe, breathe, breathe!' She told herself.

The kiss was chaste, even though Naruto had been waiting for it since he first met Sakura.

Poor Ino was nearly having a nosebleed, and NO ONE else even seemed to notice that Naruto and Sakura were kissing.

'How did he even come up with that?! Naruto, clueless moron… How?!' Ino wondered.

Naruto broke the kiss first, watching Sakura's face carefully. "How was that?"

Sakura grinned. "That was… I wouldn't mind you doing CPR on me."

"Well in that case…" Naruto said, trailing off.

He pulled her into another, deeper kiss.

When they finally broke apart, several people had noticed them and were either blushing furiously or grinning madly.

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"Great party, Naruto! Should have another one!" Kiba yelled with way too much volume and enthusiasm for it to be 3 o'clock in the morning.

Ino emerged from the doorway, anger on her face. "I, as in ME, Yamanaka, Ino, made this possible. I, as in ME, Ymanaka, Ino, slaved over this. Uzumaki, Naruto gets NONE of the credit! You hear me?! NONE! It's mine, and my work alone! Get that into your skull!" She screeched.

Kiba winced at the sheer volume of her rant. "Okay, I wasn't disagreeing. I was just saying props for having it at his house."

"Well, all of your 'props' can go to me, dog-boy!" Ino exclaimed.

"Yeah, great… Kudos to you, pig-lady!" Kiba shot back. To Naruto and Sakura, he whispered way too loudly, "Looks like someone's hopped up on sugar! I'd hate to see her in the morning!"

"Cut it out, jackhole! You'll wish tomorrow that you'd never been alive! You freaking, pissing moron!" Ino yelled, mixing her words up and making lame curses.

"Duh, Ino! 'Course I pee!" Kiba argued.

Hinata started stuttering, also sugar high, but her stammered words made little sense. "K-Ki-Kiba-k-k-kun… S-S-S-Shino-k-k-k-k-kun l-l-l-left…. 'r-r-r-ready! S-sh-sho-should g-g-g-go b-b-back t-t-to… h-h-home!" She hiccoughed. Her stuttering now over pronounced because of her sugar high state.

"In a minute, Hinata-chan." Kiba said, making Hinata blush.

"GOOOOOOO! If you won't acknowledge my work, then there's no point for you to be here! Get out! O-U-T, out!" Ino continued.

"No need to scare the crap out of everyone with your yelling! And, I can spell! I have a brain, B-R-A-I-N!" Kiba spelled at her.

"That's made of S-H-I-T, shit! Out!" Ino yelled.

"I-I-I-I-Ino-s-s-s-s-san… I-I-!"

"Oh, sorry, Hinata-san, I didn't mean you. I meant that!" She pointed an accusing finger at Kiba.

"Shit fire, Ino! I don't know how Shikamaru puts up with you! You're always yelling and screaming and… hey, where IS Shikamaru?" Kiba asked.

His question was answered when Shikamaru stumbled out of Naruto's house, giggling.

"Damn… someone must've put sake in the drinks as a prank! When I get my hands on the bastard that did it, Ill-! Wait…" Ino trailed off upon hearing Kiba snicker. "It was you!" she snarled.

"Yup! And I'm glad I did it. Shikamaru is a blast when he's drunk." Kiba declared.

Ino opened her mouth to argue, but Shikamaru interrupted. "He's right, Ino-chan… I'm a blast when I'm drunk!" He snickered.

Ino blushed. "You bastard, dog-breath! You'll die!" she yelled over her shoulder as she dragged the drunken Shikamaru away.

"Alright, pig-crap, see ya tomorrow, I'll be waiting for you to kill me… with your scent! Yeah, all right, Hinata. We should go." Kiba finally decided.

Both were a bit wobbly, but they somehow made it safely out of Naruto and Sakura's sight. After they disappeared, the two could've been jumped and the couple wouldn't see it. Not that that is what happened, just…. Never mind.

"Eh… they'll be friends again, tomorrow." Sakura said, on the subject of Ino and Kiba. "They always fight when they get sugar high."

"Okay, Sakura." Naruto said, turning to her.

"Goodnight." Sakura smiled sweetly and kissed him.

"Yeah, goodbye." Naruto waved.

'Goodbye… what?! GOODBYE?!' Sakura thought frantically.

"What?!" Sakura asked, afraid that Naruto would take off.

"Huh? Oh, yeah… Heh, not goodbye… Right. See ya tomorrow, Sakura-chan!" He told her cheerily.

She laughed nervously, and waved. "Heh, yeah. See ya tomorrow. I have an idea that I want to show you."

"Oh! I should walk you home." Naruto decided.

"Oh, okay. Thank you." Sakura thanked.

So, Naruto walked her to her house.

"Okay, now… See ya tomorrow! Sweet dreams!" He exclaimed, opening her door for her to enter.

She did just that. "Goodnight!" She waved. "Sleep light, don't let anybody get in your house!" Sakura told him, using a play off of 'sleep tight,' but for ninjas.

As soon as he was gone, Sakura collapsed on her couch.

Man, that really got her heart going! When Naruto said, 'Goodbye,' she felt like her heart might explode.

Thank god… he only forgot about his deal, he wasn't leaving her.

It was then that she saw letter next to the door.

She forced herself up and walked over to the door and picked letter up.

The letter looked official, like it was from Tsunade, so she decided to not put it off until the morning.

Inside, two sentences were scrawled very unofficial-like. It read: Jiraiya spotted Sasuke just outside of Konoha yesterday, which was why he was not at the party tonight. Tomorrow, I'll decide on who goes on the team with you.

-Tsunade.

It was written messily which suggested that she was in a hurry.

'Naruto will be happy…' but, Sakura found that she didn't know whether or not she was happy or in dread.

Suddenly, she heard Naruto's voice come in loud and clear over her mini-radio.

"Sakura-chan?! Sakura-chan?! You still awake!? Did you get that letter, too?!" He half questioned, half shouted with glee.

She clicked on the 'talk' button and spoke. "Yeah, Naruto… I did." Sakura sighed.

"What's wrong?" Naruto asked.

"Mmhmm? Nothing, just… I'm tired." Sakura lied.

"Oh… okay. Aren't you psyched?! This is going to be awesome! You and I will be going after that bastard, finally! I can't believe it!" He yelled.

"Neither can I." Sakura smiled.

"Okay, okay… I'll let you sleep. See you tomorrow, Sakura! Goodnight!"

"Okay, don't freak out and break your back. Last thing we need is for you to be utterly useless. You need to sleep, got it?" Sakura asked.

"Roger." Naruto answered. "Sleep light!"

"Until tomorrow! Copy?" Sakura laughed.

"Copy, I'll see your beautiful face tomorrow. You sleep too, or it won't be beautiful! Just kidding! Copy?" Naruto responded.

"Copy, over and out." Sakura replied.

"G'night. Over and out." Naruto said, already groggy.

"Sakura, signing out." She giggled.

Both turned the radio off.

"Good night, Naruto." Sakura murmured to herself, walking into her room, flicking off the light.

"Sweet dreams." She continued, getting in her bed.

"Sleep light." She turned over, getting comfortable.

"Don't let the-!" But the rest of her little, whispered verse was cut off by her own scream.

Someone, no, two people, were leering at her from her windowsill, just their heads visible as if they were holding onto the sill to keep themselves suspended.

She then heard the giggle of the drunken Nara.

"Shut up!" Kiba's voice snickered. "If you're gonna come up with something, at least stay quiet while you do it! Jeez… Hey, what if Ino is looking for you? She's really going to be after my ass, then."

Shikamaru laughed. "That'd be cool."

Sakura sprung from her bed and flicked both boys on the head.

"Oww…" Shikamaru whined. "What was that for?"

"For a guy with an over 200 IQ when you're sober, you sure are a stupid drunk." Sakura observed.

"That's why he's such a blast." Kiba proclaimed. Then he looked at Shikamaru critically. "But, you're right. Shika, you sure are stupid when you're drunk. She's mad 'cause we scared her!"

Shikamaru smirked. "Shika… I like that. It has a cool, badass, 'I'll kick your ass!' air about it."

"Yeah, awesome. That's why your parents named you Shikamaru, so you could have the nick-name Shika, which means badass!" Kiba said not too convincingly.

"Really?" Shikamaru asked.

"No, Shika means deer, but close enough." Kiba shrugged.

"Shik-a-MA-RUUUUUUUUU!" Came a loud Ino-screech.

"Oh no, it's the Ino-screech. Ino is near by." Kiba stated.

Sakura had to fight down a snort. "An Ino-screech?" She asked.

"Yep, it's a screech made by Ino-chan." Shikamaru explained.

"Here she comes." Kiba told them.

"KIBA! I knew you would be influencing him!" Ino shouted.

"Actually, Ino, I influenced myself!" Shikamaru yelled back.

"What?!" Ino hollered.

Sakura jumped back into bed, pulled the covers up and put a pillow over her head.

'I'm never going to be able to sleep!' she mentally whined.

**Sorry that it was so long! I have to go, but please review!  
**

**Good morning, good afternoon, and good evening!**

**-WarRain.**


	6. Chapter 6

**It was a long wait, wasn't it? Sorry about that. I don't own Naruto, never will, unless I raise billions of dollars and buy it… But, will that really happen in my life time? Nah!**

**On to the fic!**

"Ohayo, Sakura-chan!" Naruto's voice called loudly.

Sakura, startled awake, fell to the floor.

She furiously tried to find the radio to turn it off.

She finally found it and attempted this process, but she found it was already off.

Sakura eyed the little radio suspiciously. Was it malfunctioning? Why was it in her room, now, when it had previously been in her living room?"

Naruto burst through her bedroom door, heaving a great breath and shouted his greets to her. "OHAYO, SAKURA-CHAN!" he practically screamed.

A very pissed off Shikamaru bopped along past the door, apparently trying to find the source of noise.

His beady eyes locked onto Naruto and whacked him upside his head with a surprise attack! Actually, he was having a hang over and wasn't so sneaky, but he really hit hard.

"Shut the hell up, you troublesome asshole." Shikamaru growled. Apparently, this must be the aftermath of the Nara's 'Having a blast' as Kiba would have described it.

"Tetchy, ain't cha'?" Naruto observed.

"'Course I'm pissed, I'm having a hang over, dumb fuck." Shikamaru answered irately, clutching his pounded head. "Your yelling doesn't make it better."

Both completely ignored the blushing Sakura, who was not used to having people in her house when she was only halfway decent, had covered herself completely in her blanket.

"What are you guys doing here?" She asked, muffled.

Naruto and Shikamaru's attention immediately snapped to her blanket covered form. Both blushed from embarrassment, and one blushed also from how Sakura looked this morning.

Naruto was snapped out of his blushing when he attempted to answer. "Well, see-!" He started, but Shikamaru swatted him.

"Not so LOUD. I crashed here, 'cause Ino thought her mom would freak out and my dad's out on a mission. You said yes, but you were pretty tired. Ino thought you would say no, but… she was busy trying to kill Kiba. Speaking of that, I should probably help her… he gave me this damn headache… I'll wait 'til later." Shikamaru sighed.

"Yeah, Kiba let me in… but he didn't look so good. He had a kitchen knife and looked like he hadn't slept all night. Thanked me for my services then dove under your table. He said something about Ino going insane and trying to kill him…" Naruto explained quietly, trying to not piss the Nara off further. "I think he thought I was going to exterminate Ino."

"What?" Sakura questioned from under the blanket, sounding concerned. "Naruto, get me some clothes."

Naruto grinned and brought her a towel. He put it on top of the blanket and stepped back, as if he had offered a sacrifice.

A hand reached out and grabbed the towel. "Naruto, this is just a towel." She spoke softly, as if trying to get the situation under control.

"I know." He said slyly. "I dunno how to pick out women's clothes."

"I wear the same thing every day." She replied from under the blanket.

"Ah… but I would probably do it wrong!" He shook his head.

A sigh. The blanket fell to the floor as Sakura stood up, beautiful as ever, wrapped in a towel.

Naruto couldn't fight his blush or smile back as he ate the image up. Poor Naruto. When it came to Sakura, he sure was a sucker.

Shikamaru closed his eyes and looked at the floor, a faint blush tinting his cheeks a light shade of pink. "Damn it, cleavage… girls… damn."

Naruto gave him a bewildered look before Shikamaru clarified. "Troublesome." He sighed.

Naruto beamed and nodded. "Very troublesome." He said, looking at Sakura.

Sakura gave a slight pout before saying, "Okay, men. Move out, or I'll kill you. I need to get dressed. Wait in the bathroom or something. No, I'm going to need a shower. Stay in here." Sakura grabbed some clothes and ran into the bathroom.

Six minutes later, she was out and dressed in a T-shirt and ninja shorts.

"That was so long." Naruto feigned a complaint.

Shikamaru grinned. "You know what they say: Boys take less time than girls."

"Only because guys don't even take showers." She stole a glance at Naruto. "Well, at least, this one doesn't seem to."

Shikamaru laughed and Naruto sputtered (or is it spluttered? Sorry… no spell check, this time! Word is down…).

"Not fair!" He argued, very convincingly, too.

Sakura smiled and ruffled his hair. "Aw, sorry! I bet you take loads of shower- Ugh!" She retracted her hand from Naruto, shaking it. "What DO you shower in? Grease? Dirt?!"

Shikamaru chuckled as Naruto over reacted.

"No!" He said, flustered.

"Joking, joking! Jeez, you get angry over nothing! It's cute."

Shikamaru blanched and shivered. "Okay, enough cutesy couple crap… there is a problem… with both Kiba and Ino's sanity, and in Kiba's case, life, at stake."

Sakura nodded. "I know… usually they resolve it by this time in the morning."

"Lack of sleep may have a hand in this." Naruto put in wisely.

"More than likely." Shikamaru agreed.

"Alright troops, fall out. You, Naruto, search for Ino, Shikamaru and I will search for Kiba." Sakura ordered.

"Uh… Why do I have to round Ino up… alone?" Sakura rolled her eyes.

"Fine. Shikamaru, she is your teammate. Help Naruto. Ino's more likely to kill. Kiba's more likely to run, and I'm in the mood to catch someone." Her eye flickered to Naruto, and he caught her glance.

He grinned and a pink hue spread across his face. "Alright! We'll find her!"

"Good. You're good men, and I expect the best out of you! She is very good at hiding, so be careful. The most unwary man will die today." She said.

"Hopefully, it won't be any of us…" Naruto muttered. "I don't want to die today…" receiving a glance from Sakura, he added, "Or ever anytime soon! Eh-he-he-HA!"

Shikamaru looked at the two, perplexed. He paused, and then said, "I don't even want to know. Naruto would probably start screaming bloody murder and you would pummel him into a pulp. Not that it wouldn't be amusing, but the screaming Naruto part would make me liable to kill him, and if you two kiss and make up, I might just barf."

"It can be dually noted that you are **not** a morning person." Sakura half questioned, half stated.

"Right. Never do any of that with me as witness in the morning." Shikamaru nodded.

"Then, any other time of the day, you are good to go, right?" Sakura teased.

Shikamaru smacked a hand to his forehead. "Troublesome." Was the only word he said.

Sakura smirked. "Okay, come on, soldiers! Get off your **asses** and move!" She shouted in Shikamaru's ear.

He winced, then walked away, with Naruto in tow. "I'll get you back." He called over his shoulder. "Just, not now."

Sakura snorted, as if doubting this and moved into her living room, searching for Kiba. Finally, she saw a tell-tail sandal sticking out from under her table.

"Kiba, come out." She moved the chair to find… only a sandal.

"The hell?" Sakura wondered aloud.

'He must be getting sloppy… if he was trying to fool me, he'd have left both sandals.' She observed.

Suddenly, she heard a brief scratch against wood. She whirled around to find nothing but her floor and cupboards.

'Weird,' Sakura thought, 'I heard something but…' she heard it again, this time more harshly. After a few moments of silence, a string of curses were let loose coming from the general direction of the cupboards.

She walked over to her first set of cupboards and wrenched the doors open.

--

A dull 'thunk' rang in Kiba's ears.

'What the hell was that? Is it Ino?' He wondered.

In the cramped little area, it reeked of rotten fish and old onions and he had managed to cut his fingers on the knife a few times and the most recent slip of the blade in his sweating hands had earned him a dribble of blood down his left leg.

He should have thought before cursing his terrible luck.

The sounds were getting closer and closer until light obscured his vision along with brief glimpses of pink… the last time he checked, both blood and Ino were not pink.

--

Sakura stood at the last cupboard, grinning. 'Gotcha!' She mentally cheered.

She flung the doors on the cabinet open to find… a partially (temporarily) blinded Kiba leaning up against the wall of the cupboard, holding a knife in cut fingers.

"Whoa." She said, giving him the once over. "You look like shit. Guys, I found Kiba in a cupboard!"

Kiba squinted at her. "Sakura!" He gave a shout of pure joy. He fell out of the cupboard and scrambled to his feet.

"Where's Ino?" Sakura asked seriously. She was feeling rather paranoid because she had the distinct thought that someone was watching.

"I dunno." Kiba said, panic returning.

"What do you mean by that? You've been running from her all night!" Sakura replied, clearly distressed.

"That's just it… four hours ago, I lost her and I don't know where she's hiding. She's having some real intense bloodlust, right now, Sakura. I'm telling ya', she's out for blood, MY blood!" Kiba explained, wide eyed.

A smirk crept onto Sakura's lips. Yeah, Kiba was definitely a bit out of his tree.

A scream that was abruptly cut off came to their ears.

Though plagued with slight paranoia and a tad bit worse for wear, Kiba knew the screams of his allies. "That was Naruto's scream." He stated obviously, though a little confusingly.

"I think we might've found Ino." Sakura agreed.

They both ran down the hall and turned the corner.

Neither could believe their eyes when they found Shikamaru sprawled on the floor in front of them, and Naruto holding a clothes hanger (metal) bar in his hand.

**Sorry, short chapter, couldn't help it, because the on I had planned went on WAY too long. The upcoming chapter has a bit of cussing in it, actually, a fair bit of cursing. Be ready, and, please review both chapters. I need more reviews. Well, actually, if you don't feel like reviewing both, just please review, because the next chapter is coming up quick, but please, I'd appreciate it so much. Review!**

**Good morning, good afternoon, and good evening.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Here's a bit of review, the first sentence… Err…. Yeah, like I said, bits of cursing in this one, so, if you don't like it, don't read the curse words. I'm taking my time to get to the action. I got inspired to write these chapters out of nowhere. So, I'm really sorry if you don't like it, but please stay with me here. **

**Please be warned: I do not own Naruto, this is not going to happen in Naruto, and if it does, I will faint in pure shock. On to the fic!**

All of Sakura's clothes were strewn across the closet floor.

Sakura gave Naruto a look of bewilderment and Kiba gulped and turned Shikamaru over.

"Shikamaru?!" He half asked, half exclaimed to the limp form.

Blood had seeped out of his mouth and was dribbling down his chin slowly.

All of a sudden, Shikamaru's body came alive with movement.

"Ahh! Shit!" Kiba yelled.

A fist lashed out and struck Kiba in the nose. The Inuzuka fell backwards in shock, letting Shikamaru drop to the ground.

"Shikamaru?!" Naruto yipped loudly.

Shikamaru sat up, glaring at Naruto. "Dumbass." He said before rising and hitting Naruto upside his head with an upper cut. Naruto also fell without a fight.

Sakura stood back, stunned. "Wow, Shikamaru." Was all she could manage.

Shikamaru shook his head. "That idiot there scared himself into thinking I was Ino and he ripped that pole through the wall to knock me out. Those screams that you probably heard were Naruto's."

"You didn't really have to hit Kiba, did you?" Sakura asked, eying Kiba warily.

"I wanted to. Besides, that's only the first faze of my pay back. He screamed… and now I have an even worse headache." Shikamaru explained.

"Ahhh." Said Sakura. "I guess trying to make them act semi-normal is like trying to wrangle Ino."

Shikamaru nodded.

At the name of his foe, Kiba shot up into a sitting position, looking around with somewhat alert vision. He now sported a bloody nose. "Ino? She found me?!"

Naruto sat up, rubbing his chin. "Damn it, Shika," He moaned, "why do you punch so hard only when I hit you with metal poles?"

Sakura raised her eyebrows at this. "There have been times like this before now?"

Shikamaru nodded. "I rest my case." He sighed.

"Damn it, give me answers!" Kiba shouted in a 'why?!' voice.

Naruto turned to the Inuzuka brightly. "Who can explain it, who can tell you why?"

Sakura hit Naruto on the head again, sending him to the floor. "Ow…" He groaned.

"Quit your cryin', we have work to do." Sakura said, turning to Shikamaru.

They exchanged nods and Shikamaru put a hand to the tender side of his head.

A thin layer of blood coated his fingers. He rolled his eyes in a 'just my luck' sort of way. "Life's a bitch."

"And so am I!" They all whirled around, the blonde in their mind's eye when they found… Kiba's other sandal?! Oh, and Naruto was there, too.

"Hey, give that back!" Kiba said, snatching his sandal.

Naruto laughed. "Man, you guys are jumpy. 'Specially you, Kiba! Ino's not so scary."

Kiba glared, but his look of anger quickly turned to fright. "L-LOOK OUT NARUTO!" He bellowed, jumping to his feet, apparently ready to book it.

"Shit, I'm too young to die!" Naruto whimpered pathetically. He tried to get his shaking legs to move, but something, or someone, dragged him to the floor.

Naruto let loose an ear splitting yell of terror which was quickly silenced by a smack on the head.

"Owww… Why'd you do that, Sakura-chan?" He whined.

"Because… if I didn't, Shika would have. Remember how that felt?" Sakura answered, completely distracting him from what had just happened.

Naruto's eyes narrowed. "Oh yes, I remember." He said darkly. "So painful and painfully void of love… Hey!" Snapping back to reality, he noticed the lack of Ino.

Kiba was sitting on his ass, laughing it up. "Now whose especially scared of Ino?!"

Naruto glared. "At least I'm not the one who hid in a cupboard the entire time!"

"Well you didn't get Shikamaru drunk, did you? I have a reason to be scared to hell of her! Half of each year, she's after my guts!"

"Well, that wouldn't happen if you didn't get Shikamaru drunk so often!" Naruto argued.

"It's not always getting people drunk! It's not my fault that Shika's a bore unless he pissed out of his mind!" Kiba shouted back, jabbing a thumb at Shikamaru.

Shikamaru stopped rubbing his temples long enough to glare at Kiba and say, "Thanks for that. Maybe some other day I can show you how 'fun' I am."

Kiba snorted. "Yeah, I'd like to see you giggle while you're sober, or go putting 'Property of Naruto' whoopee cushions on Tsunade-baa-chan's chair."

"What?! I've been looking for those!" Naruto yelled in disbelief. "So what else are you doing?"

"Well, it's not always my fault. Akamaru sometimes pees on her flowers, and he's just 'too cute' for her to tell him no, she has to yell at me, even though I really can't make Akamaru not pee!" Kiba explained, indignant.

"So, what about the time you peed on her flowers, Kiba?" Sakura asked slyly.

"What?! That was a dare! Just like when Shino dared you to kiss me! It's not supposed to leave the circle!" Kiba replied angrily, accidentally letting another secret slip.

Sakura covered her mouth in horror. "That wasn't supposed to leave the circle either!"

"Well, well… I guess I just can't control myself, just like you. I can't help but have a slippery tongue." Sakura flushed deeply.

Naruto turned to Kiba in a rage. "You kissed my woman!?"

"No! No! She kissed me!" Kiba answered earnestly.

"You peed on Ino's flowers? She thought it was me when I was drunk!" Shikamaru said, getting angry, himself.

"You let her kiss you? That's worse, Kiba! You let her initiate the kiss when she should've been saving herself for me! You bastard!" Naruto bellowed.

"I can't believe you, Kiba! Damn it, why'd you tell everyone about that night! It was supposed to be a secret between Chouji, Shino, you, and I! No one else!" Sakura shook with rage.

Naruto turned disbelievingly to Sakura. "I wasn't invited?!"

"I knew it!" Shikamaru said, very unlike himself. "That bug… it gave me so much gas! It was so bad, I, the one passing the gas, passed out!"

"That wasn't a bug, Shika…" Kiba responded slowly.

"What was it?" Shikamaru asked cautiously.

"… A raisin." Kiba answered meekly. "Sakura dared me to do it."

"But, I'm allergic to raisins." Shikamaru pointed out.

"That was the idea." Kiba gulped.

"We couldn't invite you!" Sakura said to Naruto.

Shikamaru turned to Sakura, furiously. "You dared Kiba to make me eat a raisin?!"

"In my defense, it was a very small raisin!" Sakura said innocently.

"You couldn't invite me? Why, 'cause I was too un-cool?" Naruto inquired bitterly.

"You could've killed me with that 'small' raisin!" Shikamaru insisted.

"It was extremely small!" Sakura answered.

"You still haven't answered my question!" Naruto reminded Sakura.

"Damn it, EVERYBODY SHUT UP! We're mad at him, remember?" Sakura pointed at Kiba, who gave her a look of confusion.

"Oh yeah." Naruto said, turning to Kiba in rage. "How dare you kiss Sakura!?"

"SHE kissed ME, god-damn it!" Kiba shouted.

"On a dare! She wouldn't otherwise have done it, Dog-breath!" Naruto replied.

Kiba tackled Naruto to the ground. Pinned, Naruto could barely move.

"She added tongue herself, idiot!" Kiba yelled.

Naruto scowled, seemed to fling himself to his feet, and rammed Kiba into a wall. "Well, I guess it's okay to say that Shikamaru, Shino, Hinata, and I played truth or dare and I had to kiss Shikamaru!" Naruto shouted.

Kiba raised his eyebrows and Shikamaru smacked a hand to his forehead. "This affects me, how?" Kiba asked.

Naruto grinned evilly. "Shino dared me to kiss Hinata after that."

Kiba snarled and punched Naruto. "Son of a bitch, Naruto! Why the hell did you have to do that?!"

"It was a dare. Just like yours, it wouldn't have happened if it hadn't been." Naruto answered, slugging the Dog-Boy back, unknowingly offending Kiba in a deeper way.

"You fuckin' SOB! Die!" Kiba yelled, kicking Naruto in the 'nads.

A crunch was heard and all four winced, including Sakura.

Naruto managed to stay on his feet long enough to sock Kiba in the nose (another bleeder), hit him in the stomach, and trip him so he fell on his face. Then, Naruto sank to the floor, his body practically begging him to whimper in pain.

Kiba groaned and laid flat on his face for a while before starting to get up. Once he brought himself to his feet, he offered Naruto a hand.

"Sorry for kicking you in the nuts, man… you didn't deserve a crunch like that, even for what you said and did. I don't get why you didn't hit mine, though."

Naruto grinned and took the hand. "Mine will heal, yours don't have the power to rejuvenate so well, I don't think."

Kiba snickered and helped Naruto up. Naruto stood guardedly, as if afraid that someone may target his pride, again. "You're okay?" Kiba asked.

Naruto nodded. "Didn't mean to offend you or Hinata. I bet you're a good brother and teammate to her."

"You… you're already over it?" Sakura asked, shocked at the quick forgiveness.

"Yeah, even for guys that was pretty fast. One second you're at each other's throats, then the next, you're offering hands of help?" Shikamaru shook his head at their antics.

Naruto and Kiba turned to each other and shrugged. "Yup, mostly." They both said.

"I'm still kind of mad that you kissed my girlfriend at a truth or dare game that I wasn't even invited to." Naruto said to Kiba.

"You kissed my teammate at a truth or dare game that I wasn't invited to." Kiba shrugged with a grin.

Naruto grinned back. "Touché."

"We already got our hits in. Now, it doesn't really matter. Besides, it's mostly Shino's fault." Kiba explained.

"Resorting to blows, then, when too intense a hit comes, stop. I should try that." Sakura decided.

The three boys backed away from her. "Yeah, err… Ino already tried that on me. I figured it was time to book when she couldn't find a hit strong enough to stop." Shikamaru recalled.

"Oh… that's pretty tough." Naruto replied. He threw a glance at Sakura. "Then again, I'm sort of afraid for myself."

Sakura's eyes flamed up and she approached Naruto with killing intent.

Kiba jumped in front of Naruto and yelled, "You still haven't answered his question!"

Sakura came to a stop with an almost robotic movement. Her head creaked slowly to look at Kiba and consider this.

"What question?" She asked.

"Why he wasn't invited to the truth or dare game." Shikamaru gulped, also getting in the line of Sakura's fire.

"Am I not good enough to play truth or dare with you guys?" Naruto sniffed piteously.

Sakura's sharp form and glaring eyes immediately softened. "No, no… You're good enough. The reason why you weren't invited was… was… I don't know!" She cried and ran at Naruto, pushing Kiba and Shikamaru aside easily.

Naruto braced himself for the worst, but he couldn't stop it, not even with the perfect defensive stance.

Sakura enveloped Naruto in one huge, tight, cuddly hug.

Flabbergasted, Kiba couldn't move, save for the small twitches in his left thumb and the twitch under his right eye. The Inuzuka fought to keep his expression in check and the laughter threatening to over throw him completely unobvious.

Naruto was stunned into complete silence, not including a few isolated gasps for air. He was thrown through a loop of surprise.

Shikamaru was the only one able to move. His eyes crossed and a queasy look appeared on his face.

He tapped Sakura on the shoulder, but she ignored him. He tapped her harder, but still she gave no sign of response. He tapped her even harder, but all she did was give him a quick, disgusted glance before turning back to Naruto.

Poor Nara Shikamaru looked helplessly from the hugging/ dying couple to Kiba. Shikamaru quietly gagged, then turned his head to the side and threw up.

Frowning, he saw that Sakura had completely ignored this. He couldn't blame Naruto for ignoring him, the poor man could barely breathe, much less concern himself with the strife Shikamaru was going though. Nor could he blame Kiba, who had pulled his stunned stare from Naruto and Sakura to look at Shikamaru with silent concern.

Shikamaru shrugged at Kiba then turned back to Naruto and Sakura.

No sooner had he turned his head than a strangled cry of surprise and panic sounded from behind him.

A loud thud made the floor beneath their feet tremor. There were a few 'splats' and a squeal of something moving across the floor.

Sakura broke her embrace with Naruto, and all three turned around, almost afraid to find out what had happened.

**What could have happened? Well, you'll find out eventually. Boys. They're so hysterical. I got the 'crunch' saying straight from the mouths of some of my friends. I hope you enjoyed it. I have to stop writing now or I'll get in trouble. Wait for the next update! Review! By the way, pissed can mean very drunk, as well as angry.**

**Good morning, good afternoon, and good evening!**


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